Stacey Anderson: Two poems – The Sea & Untitled

Published on 9 Jan 2019

Does writing poems help anxiety? It has helped Stacey. Here are two of her powerful poems.

The Sea

I’m on a beach Alone The warmth on my skin The sea is far away I turn My back is to the sea I can not see Its approach from behind It’s encroaching on me I’ve forgotten the sea is behind me The waves get higher The waves get closer Before I know it The waves have engulfed me I’m drowning Surrounded by water I cannot breath Every breath is suffocating I fall on the beach I land with a thud The sea has dispersed Moved away to its original position I’m soaked Still gasping for air Coughing hard I’m drenched to the bone Soaked to the skin I’m now fine But the affects still affect me The warmth of the sun is back Makes me confused How did I survive Such a hostile take over It leaves me such a shell I struggle away But it’s always there Haunting me Ready to pounce To catch me unawares To take over To control me Please stop I can only take so much.

(Untitled)

I can speak No-one hears I have an opinion No-one hears What can I say? If no-one wants to hear I feel shouted out Suppressed Destroyed Gives me lack of hope Hope is all I have It’s mostly keeping me around Maybe I’m here in a dream? Maybe I’m someone else? Maybe it’s just fear? Maybe it’s anxiety? Maybe I’m silent? I’m speaking, how can I be silent? I’m perceived as ignorant I’m feeling lost I must be here I can hear All of the voices Talking, inferring Disappearing into a trance Being removed, even though I’m here I am here Why do I always need to justify my being? Why is my voice so quiet? I’m speaking I want to be heard.

Trish has written a very moving and informative piece about the way people talk about a person’s death as though trying to avoid actually talking about that person’s death. Trigger warning: references to death/bereavement

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